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Burnout

Writer's picture: Kelli HowardKelli Howard

Burnout.


Okay, but how did we get here?


Here are a few clues:

  • Not getting enough sleep because you’re too busy (working, scrolling, binge-watching Netflix)

  • Waking up exhausted and hitting snooze

  • Skipping a relaxed lunch because you’re buried in work

  • Overbooked days because you said yes to everything

  • You’re a parent (bonus points if you're a sole parent)

  • You’re a carer

  • Giving is your love language

  • You’re a perfectionist

Are you feeling:

  • Overwhelmed or numb?

  • Emotionally up and down?

  • Digestive issues?

  • Headaches?

  • Sleep disturbances?

  • General fatigue?


At the heart of burnout is giving too much without taking any time for yourself. The hard part? Once you're in this cycle, it's almost impossible to stop and rest because it feels so uncomfortable.


And when I say "uncomfortable," I mean physically painful—like it's almost too much to just be and not do something. If you’re not forced to stop, you'll just jump right back into your busy routine.


I see this all the time in clinic and in my classes. People wriggling and fidgeting in rest poses, like a plane trying to land but needing a long runway to come to a full stop.


But here's the thing: If you keep pushing through even though you're exhausted, if you keep putting everyone else ahead of you, it’s going to be hard to live a life that's pain-free, fulfilling, and genuinely happy.


Who doesn’t want that?


Well, truthfully, some people in the midst of burnout don’t. That “just one more thing” mindset keeps you trapped in a cycle of cortisol overload.


So what’s it going to take to make a change?


For most, it takes a health issue—unfortunately. But hey, let’s make 2025 the year we transform (Year of the Snake, after all!).


What can you do right now?

Stop. Breathe. Be present. Listen to the sounds around you. Feel the air against your skin, and connect with the surface beneath you. Breathe again. Repeat. Close your eyes this time.


Do this at least three times a day, every day, until that uncomfortable feeling starts to ease.

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